NACDS supports March of Dimes’ #BlanketChange movement

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is joining the March of Dimes’ 2020 #BlanketChange campaign to improve the health and wellness of moms and babies through improved healthcare equity, access and prevention.

The campaign will raise awareness of tragedies such as the finding that Black women are three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related causes nationwide, and will translate awareness into action on policies focused on:

• Equity: eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities and driving economic, social and health equity by focusing on prevention, treatment and social determinants of health
• Access: improving access to care through expanding critical health programs and closing gaps in coverage.
• Prevention: addressing preventable health conditions through expanding research and improving maternal morbidity and mortality data collection.

“Pharmacists and pharmacies are among the most trusted and accessible healthcare destinations and play a vital role in addressing the needs of those who have suffered from disparities in care. NACDS strongly appreciates and supports the work of March of Dimes to bring these important needs to light,” said NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson.

NACDS’ alignment with the March of Dimes’ #BlanketChange initiative complements its ongoing focus on healthcare disparities and the social determinants of health. Most recently, NACDS has advanced these issues through its flu-vaccination communications campaign, its advocacy on COVID-19 issues, and its commitment to social justice issues.

NACDS also has engaged with thought leaders, advocates and government agencies such as the World Health Care Congress, the American Public Health Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.